Blue and Gold
by ArcherWriter
Summary: Inari is a halfbreed from the north and she wants to join on the Quest of Erebor. However, as time goes on she notices that the Sons of Durin are hiding something. Something that has to do with their monthly disappearnces. When she finds out what it is her life will be forever changed as will her relationship with a certain dwarf.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Up into the far north of Middle Earth is Forodwaith. It is a cold hostile place. Definitely not for the faint of heart. Of course dwarves are anything but. What are dwarves you say? Well dwarves are what many call the stone people as they were originally created from stone. They are very easy to pick out, what with their impressive beards with intricate braids, short but stout stature, and legendary ferocity in battle. That is where we must begin our tale.

There were a few dwarves who lived in the frozen wasteland of Forodwaith, especially after the fall of Erebor. One such dwarf was the local tanner for the small settlement he lived in. He was known as Virfur, a dwarf of Erebor. His work was in high demand and so it is no surprise that a young lady came into his shop. It was not love at first sight, but there was an immediate attraction at the very least. Her name was Anika, a fisherman's daughter. She was fair of skin and had dark hair and hazel eyes. Her stature was on the shorter side but she had a fairly athletic build due to working all her life.

It wasn't long until the two were seen everywhere together. They were inseparable. Before long they were married and moving into a house of their own. A couple of years after their wedding they had their firstborn, a son named Vestri. He was fair and had his mother's hair, but it was clear he had inherited his father's gray blue eyes. A few years later they had their second born, a daughter named Katja after Anika's mother. She was slightly darker skinned than her brother and had her mother's hazel and dark hair. The last child was a daughter named Inari after Anika's deceased sister. She took mostly from her father with her auburn hair and gray blue eyes with her fair skin the only thing that resembled her mother.

Unfortunately Anika contracted an illness after giving birth to Inari. For days she fought to stay alive, but her strength soon left her and she passed on into Mandos Halls. Virfur was heartbroken, but he was determined to raise his children. The last thing he had of his wife was her silver wolf pendant that he gave her as a courting gift.

His children all grew up to be strong and capable fighters. He especially wanted his girls to now how to fight since they were obviously a gift from Mahal. Of course all his children were a blessing in his eyes. Each took up a main weapon. Vestri took to the art of swordsmanship. Katja decided to master the spear. Lastly, Inari took up archery, to which her father agreed albeit reluctantly.

For years they trained and they all became masters of their weapons. Of course even with their training they still had to choose a craft. Vestri became his father's apprentice in the art of a tanner. Katja was apprenticed to a seamstress since she had an eye for beautiful embroidery. Inari, however, did not choose a craft when she reached her maturity. She instead decided to leave her little village and go travel Middle Earth like her father had done in his younger days.

As it was when she turned 30 her father allowed her to go gifting her with strong pony named Timber and her mother's pendant. She promised to write as much as she could and then she left with a tearful goodbye. Little did she know it would be many before she saw her family again. For two years she traveled and finally decided to stay in the town called Bree for a month or two to relax after journeying for so long. However one night in the Prancing Pony would change her life forever.

Author's Note

Hey I know I've been pretty inactive for a while, but now I'm back and Im bringing a new story. I got the idea from another fanfiction called "Curse of Durin's Line" by TheHardcoreHobbit. They are amazing and you should definitely go and check them out. Let me know what you think in the reviews. Until next time, bye!


	2. A Tavern Meeting

Chapter 1

I had entered the noisy tavern seeking shelter from the rain. I had just arrived in Bree only this afternoon. Although it was far from luxury it was large enough to live comfortably for a while. This was my first stop in a while since I had started my travels only two summers ago. I found a small alcove by the fireplace. It had one chair at a small square table and seemed quieter than the rest of the tavern.

I sat down and ordered an ale. Unsurprisingly I had gotten a few odd stares from the people, but nothing that would cause a scene. I suppose I can't really blame them. I'm not exactly the most normal looking person in the world, what with my sideburns and short stature, though not short enough to be considered a dwarf nor tall enough to be considered human. However, I am a halfbreed so this makes sense, but that doesn't mean I'm going to share that with all of Middle Earth.

The barmaid brought my ale and then hurried off to the table next to me. All I could see was the back of what appeared a dwarf. He seemed a little along in his years probably slightly younger than middle age by dwarf standards. There was nothing odd about him, but I could tell that this was no ordinary dwarf.

He was given his drink and meal and then he was left alone, or so I thought. It didn't take a genius to know that he was being watched seeing as the two men were not subtle in the least. For a moment I thought that there might be brawl about to happen, but that thought was dashed immediately by the appearance of an old bearded man wearing gray robes.

The two men sat down at his arrival. He started speaking to the dwarf saying his name was Gandalf. Ah, now it made sense. No man with any sense would ever go up against a wizard. This was Gandalf the Grey. I didn't know much about wizards, but from what I do know they are both powerful and mysterious. I suppose the best way to describe them is enigmatic.

Now my attention was fully on the two. This was definitely no ordinary dwarf if a wizard was speaking with him. My suspicions were proven once I heard the dwarf's name; Thorin Oakenshield.

I almost dropped my tankard from my surprise. Of all the dwarves that could end up in this tavern the same night as I was, Thorin son Thrain son of Thror, was not one of them I would expect. My ale was completely forgotten as listened more closely to their conversation.

"I know my father came to see you before the Battle of Moria. What did you say to him?" I heard Thorin ask Gandalf anxiously.

Gandalf leaned in slightly, no longer eating his food that he was given at some point, before answering. "I urged him to march upon Erebor. To gather the Seven Armies of the dwarves. To destroy the dragon and take back the Lonely Mountain. And I would say the same to you." He then said more emphatically, "Take back your homeland."

My eyes widened at his statement. What was this wizard thinking!? I thought wizards were supposed to be wise, but this the stupidest idea I had ever heard. A dragon was not something to play around with what with their hard hide that is almost completely impossible to puncture much less kill. I noticed Thorin straighten his back, then push away his plate and picked up his drink while continuing after a moment's thought.

"This is no chance meeting is it Gandalf." It was statement not a question. Gandalf was here for a purpose and purpose was Erebor. "No. It is Lonely Mountain has troubled me, Thorin. That dragon has sat there long enough. Sooner or later, darker minds will turn towards Erebor."

I narrowed my eyes at his statement. What did he mean by that? I didn't have to wait long for my answer. "I ran into some unsavory characters whilst traveling along the Greenway. They mistook me for a vagabond." Thorin replied with slight humor, "I imagine they regretted that." he looked over his shoulder slightly. I made sure to keep my head to avoid suspicion, but I still kept my eyes on the two.

Gandalf slowly pulled out a piece of parchment sliding it across the table, but I was too far to see what was on it. "One of them was carrying a message." He said showing Thorin the message."It is black speech." He stated to the dwarf prince.

What would a foul man be doing with something in such a dark language? Thorin leaned back while Gandalf read the message in a calm voice. "A promise of payment." Thorin's head was down slightly as he asked, "For what?" He didn't seem to eager to know, though I wouldn't blame him. Gandalf looked directly at Thorin and said quite bluntly, "Your Head."

I gasped quietly and had to put a hand over my mouth to smother my load breathing after hearing his answer. I wasn't the only one shocked as Thorin immediately looked up at Gandalf and I think I heard him take in a breath as well. "Someone wants you dead. Thorin, you can wait no longer. You are the heir to the throne of Durin. Unite the armies of the dwarves. Together you have the might and power to retake Erebor. Summon a meeting of the seven dwarf families. Demand That they stand by their oath."

Thorin quickly leaned over and said with a bit of steel in his tone, "The seven armies swore that oath on the King's Jewel, The Arkenstone. It is the only thing that will unite them and in case you have forgotten that jewel was stolen by Smaug!" All three of us watched the two men leave before Gandalf turned back around to answer.

"What if I were to help you reclaim it." He said this with a slight smile. "How? The Arkenstone lies half a world away. Buried beneath the feet of a fire breathing dragon." I nodded my head even though they couldn't see me, but Gandalf was quick to answer. "Yes it does. Which is why we are going to need a burglar." he smiled after saying this.

I somewhat tuned them out as thought on what I heard. My father had been a dwarf of Erebor. All my life he had told me and my siblings stories of the Lonely Mountain and the beauty it once held. He used to say hat although he had a great life in Forodwaith, Erebor would always be his home. I know more than anything he would want to go on this quest to help reclaim it, but he wouldn't leave my brother and sister and he certainly wouldn't allow us to come. This was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up. I've beenwandering for the past two years and yet I still felt like there was somewhere, something I needed to do and I believe this is it.

With my decision made I looked back at the duo to see what else I could find out. Gandalf stood up, but spoke to Thorin, "Meet me in Hobbiton in the Shire on April 29th. Look for a door with the burglar's rune. There we shall start our journey." Thorin nodded his head and then Gandalf left without another word. I waited until Thorin left to pay for my drink and approach the owner of the Prancing Pony about a room.

"Excuse me sir I'd like a room. I'm going to be staying here for a while."

Author's Note

Wow that took forever to write. So the next chapter Inari will be meeting the company which will be so much fun to write as it's one my favorite scenes in both the movie and the book. By the way I forgot to mention this in the Prologue, I'm doing the movie version as you can tell from this chapter, but i just wanted to clarify. If you're one of those people who loves the books more feel free to leave some suggestions on how i could merge the two a bit. However, it is mainly going to be the movie. Anyways let me know what you think of this chapter in the reviews. Until next time, bye!


	3. Meeting the Company

Chapter 2

I walked towards the stables to fetch my pony, Timber. I had shed my furs and kept them in a separate pack since it was now spring.I had instead opted for a tan leather hide tunic that was sleeveless and some thick and dark leather pants. I also had on a leather wrapping my right hand. The merchant had said many archers used it to protect their hands so I spent some extra silver pieces for it figuring it would be useful. I still had some fur on since it was stilling bit cool.

I had already made all the preparations necessary for this venture. There was a filled waterskin, bedroll, food bag, my winter furs, and the money I had from some bets I won. I decided to travel light as I always do o give me more speed, something I'm sure to need. Finally at the stables, I was able to set down my supplies and walk towards Timber's stall. He walked up to greet and I offered him an apple. He was tacked up and laden with supplies within five minutes. It was early, just a little past dawn, when I finally set out for the Shire.

It would take a few days to get from Bree to Hobbiton and the last thing I wanted was to be late. We quickly left Bree behind and headed on to the Shire. The journey was quite dull for the most part not many were traveling on the road except for the odd man here or there. There were also not a lot of big game. The biggest thing you could hunt was a rabbit and I would be lucky to even find that. For the most part I was eating squirrel.

As I anticipated it took three days to get to Hobbiton and it was already getting dark. It didn't take long to notice the stares i was getting from the halflings. Most of them were stares of suspicion while others were just plain shocked. I had heard that halflings could be suspicious of strangers and preferred the comfort of their home almost never leaving the safety of the Shire.

After a while of searching for the rune Gandalf had said to look, I dismounted and tethered Timber at a local inn then quickly payed the stable boy. I started walking around the underground houses looking for a rune somewhere. After about an hour of searching I finally found a round green door with a blue glowing rune. This was it. This is where I would start my journey. I walked through the small gate and up to the door knocking swiftly before stepping back. I could hear the sounds of furniture moving and some voices talking. They all sounded male, great. The door opened and I was greeted by a halfling with light curly hair, brown eyes, and completely barefoot much like the rest of his kin.

I could tell from his expression that he was flustered and annoyed. It soon change to shock and confusion once he saw me. "I'm..I'm sorry, but who are you?" He asked with confusion laced in his tone. Tilting his head slightly while keeping the door half opened.

I gave him a kind smile before bowing at the waist. "Inari at your service." I said cheerfully before straightening back up. His mouth was opened slightly in shock before he regained his composure. "Oh where are my manners, please come in." he said as he stepped aside opening the door more to allow me in. "I am Bilbo Baggins of Bag End." He said with pride. I nodded with a smile walking further into his home.

I looked around in amazement. "This place is beautiful. Did you make it yourself?" I asked as I looked at him over my shoulder. He blushed bright red from his cheeks to his slightly pointed ears.

"Oh no no, my father built it."He stuttered. I smiled and he gave me a small smile in return. "Well your father was master craftsmen." He smiled shyly at my compliment, but it immediately disappears when he heard another knock at the door. He huffed before opening the door again. I turned and walked towards the two dwarves in what looked to be in a makeshift dining room.

One was quite tall only a few inches shorter than me. He had dark hair but was bald on top of his head, which was covered in tattoos. He was wearing heavy furs and had what seemed to be a permanently angry expression. The other one was much shorter about the same height as Bilbo. He had white hair and beard which was split at the tips. He had a kinder and less hostile demeanor than the other dwarf.

"Do you need any help?" I asked both looked up at my question seeming surprised then suspicious. "And who are you, lass?" The older one said cautiously. I bowed again, "Inari, at your service." I repeated. That apparently wasn't the right thing to say as the bigger dwarf narrowed his eyes and stepped a little closer. "How do you know our greeting." He asked his tone full of bite. I was saved from answering at the arrival of two more dwarves.

They were much younger than the other two and were as different as night and day. One had blonde hair with a few decorative braids showing his station. His mustache was also braided which almost made me laugh at the sight. He had bright blue eyes and was wearing heavy leather and furs. The other was dark haired with no braids or beads save for the clasp holding his hair back. He had dark brown eyes, but what was strange was that he was quite tall at least an inch taller than me surprisingly and had only stubble rather than a full beard like his companion. He wore mostly cloth and leathers. All in all they were handsome in the rugged way.

The blonde looked at me with a grin. "Oh and who is this beautiful maiden, a noble lady perhaps." He said with a smirk while his companion gave me a mischievous smile. "That's what I'd like to know." Tattoo dwarf growled. The older one put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a slight glare. "Now brother that is no way to speak to a lady, what would our mother say?" The old one chided. The tattooed dwarf grumbled but dropped the interrogation.

The old one turned back towards me and offered my a kind smile which I returned. "My apologies, lass. My brother can be quite temperamental after a long journey. Allow me to introduce ourselves. I am Balin and this is my brother Dwalin. The lads are Fili and Kili and we are all at your service." He and the two young dwarves bowed but Dwalin only nodded. I bowed back. "Inari, at yours and your family's."

The two dwarves went back to rearranging the furniture while Fili and Kili left to get the ale keg. "Lass how about you start bring in some of the food, the others will be arriving any minute." Balin asked as he walked by me to grab another chair. I nodded an headed to the open pantry to bring food to the table.

True to his word more dwarves arrived and started helping me bring food out each one introducing themselves, though I'm not sure I'll be able to remember all of their names. I could hear Bilbo yelling at the dwarves to put his food back as we continued setting the table. "Not the jam! Excuse me. Excuse me. It's a tad excessive isn't it? Have you got a cheese knife?" He asked the round dwarf, Bombur, I think his name was, as he carried manny blocks of cheese. Another dwarf came and stood beside Bilbo he had a flappy hat and was carry a bunch meat. "Cheese Knife? He eats it by the block." the dwarf continued on and Bilbo was left dumbfounded. I laughed lightly at his expression.

I walked back through the hallway and looked into the dining room where a dwarf, Dori, was offering Gandalf a kettle of tea. "Excuse me Mr. Gandalf?" Gandalf turned to him, hunched over due to his height. "Yes?" Dori poured a cup of tea while asking, "May I tempt you with a cup of chamomile?" "Oh, no thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think." Dori nodded as Gandalf came back into the hallway almost being run over by Bombur and running into the chandelier. I couldn't help, but laugh at this. Who knew wizards could be clumsy?

Gandalf started naming off the dwarves while counting on his fingers, but found that he was one short thanks the axe headed dwarf. "He is late, is all. He traveled north to a meeting of our kin. He will come." Dwalin answered while drinking a cup of ale leaning against the wall. Dori reappeared with a very small glass of wine. "Mr. Gandalf? A little glass of red wine, as requested. It's got a fruity bouquet." Dori handed him the glass and then went into the dining room. "Oh, Cheers." Gandalf drank all the wine in one sip and looked at the empty glass longily.

I couldn't help, but laugh at this. My laughing caught his attention and he looked at me curiously. "And who might you be, my dear." I sobered up and looked up at him. "Inari from Forodwaith." I answered seriously. His eyebrows raised slightly as he hmed. "Forodwaith? You are very far from home, my lady. What is a half dwarf from the north doing in the Shire if you don't mind me asking." I was surprised at his observation. I composed myself quickly regaining some courage to look back at him.

"I'm here for the same thing everybody else is here for. To go on a quest." I answered confidently. "So, you are here to join the company, to reclaim Erebor and in return gain an endless supply of gold." He said this while giving me a an odd look. I furrowed my brow, indignant at his implication.

"It has nothing to do with the gold." I said with slight steel. "It may seem odd to you, but I'm here because I want Erebor to be reclaimed from that Paha-Peto!" Gandalf was expressionless for a minute, but he then smiled warmly. "I can see that you take after the dwarves' pride. I think you will be a great asset on this venture." He looked back at the dining room then gestured for me to come. "Come. You should eat, it will be a long journey and you will need your strength." I followed him into the dining room where all the dwarves were eating, throwing food, laughing, and of course drinking.

I sat down beside Ori as he seemed the most approachable out of the whole company. I fixed my plate putting mostly meat on it with a bit of bread, cheese, and green food. Fili was walking on the table handing out all the ales, which seemed to anger Mr. Baggins. "Who wants an ale? Here ya go." I stood up with me hand raised "Hey, Fili! Bring one down here." I yelled over the talking dwarves. He walked over towards me and handed me my ale, but he winked before sitting down. I rolled my eyes while taking a sip.

I watched the other dwarves celebrating wildly. Dwalin had poured ale into Oin's trumpet and all the others leaned on the table for toast.

"Ale on the count of three!" I heard one of the dwarves say. I smiled slyly. I may be a lady, but I was raised a dwarf through and through and that includes how to beat others in drinking games. I held my ale close waiting. "One. Two.. Up!" We all brought up our mugs and drank. There was silence until we all finished slamming our mugs down. They all started burping trying to outdo the other. I gave a loud burp of my one which surprised many of them before laughing once more. All can agree that Ori won that competition. Poor Bilbo was looking a little green from our presentation.

All of us finished our feast and started walking around the house. I stayed in the kitchen with a few of the dwarves Bofur being one of them. "So, what's a pretty lass like yerself doing here?" He asked with smile. I smiled back meekly. "Looking for a little adventure, life has been quite dull as of late." I answered back teasingly. We both turned our heads at the sound of Bilbo's voice.

"Excuse me. That is a doily not a dishcloth." We saw Bilbo yank the 'doily' out of Nori's hands. "But it's full of holes." Bofur said confusedly. "It's supposed to look like that it's crochet." Bilbo answered firmly. Bofur glanced at me "And a wonderful game that is, if you got the balls for it. All of us started laughing at his innuendo. "Be bother and confiscate these dwarves!" I heard Bilbo almost yell.

"My dear Bilbo, what on earth is the matter?" Gandalf came around the corner trying to calm the hobbit. Gandalf and bilbo walked through further into the kitchen. Bofur saw Nori trying to steal some sausages and reached at them both going into a tug of war. I smiled at their antics continuing to drink from my mug. I noticed Bilbo and Gandalf walk into the hallway once more. Kili comes in and gestures for me to come with a humorous glint in his eyes.

I stand on the other side of the doorway as Fili throws him a plate and he throws it to Bifur. I hear the others using kitchen utensils to make a beat. Fili continues throwing plates to Kili. "Excuse me. That's my mother's West Farthing crockery. It's over a hundred years old!" Bilbo cried. Kili bounced a plate on his foot then through it to Bifur. The beat was picking up and more plates and bowls were thrown. "And can you not do that, you'll blunt them." "O, did ya hear that lads? He says we'll blunt the knives." Bofur said teasingly.

Fili and Kili then started to sing with Kili starting.

Blunt the knives, bend the forks!

Fili then joined in on the song.

Smash the bottles and burn the corks!

The rest of us joined in now all chorusing together.

Chip the glasses and crack the plates!

That what Bilbo Baggins hates!

Cut the cloth and trail the fat!

Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!

Pour the milk on the pantry floor!

Splash the wine on every door!

Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl;

Pound them up with a thumping pole;

And when your finished, if they are whole

Send them down the hall the roll!

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!

We finished the song while also finishing Bilbo's dishes which were now stacked neatly on the kitchen table. We all laughed at Bilbo's surprised expression, but the joy was cut short at the sound of three loud knocks. All the dwarves and I looked toward the door in anticipation. Now was the hard part, convincing Thorin Oakenshield to let come along on this journey. Mahal help me.

Author's Note

The word Inari used to describe Smaug is Labba the most commonly spoken language in Forodwaith.

Paha-Peto: Bad Beast

Mahal: dwarf name for Aule

Man this took forever. Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I decided to use Ygritte from Game of Thrones to play as Inari if you want a reference then google search her. Until next time, bye.


	4. Thorin's Verdict

Chapter 3

"He is here." Gandalf whispered. Bilbo and Gandalf headed for the door while the rest of us followed into the entryway. I was off in the corner at the front near Fili and Kili. Fili smiled at me while Kili just gave me a big grin. The door creaked open and there and Bilbo's porch was Thorin Oakenshield. He was tall for a dwarf, only a few inches shorter than myself and I'm a good 5 feet. His long dark hair was streaked with gray and his overall visage was strong yet grim. "Gandalf." Thorin acknowledged with a deep voice.

Thorin stepped into Bilbo's home while also taking of his traveling cloak. "I thought you said this place would be easy find. I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all if hadn't been for that mark on the door." I snorted quietly at his comment. Following an exiled dwarf king, to a dragon infested mountain might I add, who can't even find his way to little hobbit's home. Not exactly giving be a whole lot of confidence so far. Apparently Kili heard my snort and nudged me to not say a word. I sighed before focusing back on what is being said.

"Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago." I heard Bilbo say with a bit frustration in his voice. Thorin walked over to Fili and Kili, handing Kili his traveling cloak. He gave them both a fond smile, which they returned, before turning his attention back to the exasperated hobbit. Gandalf closed the door softly while looking down at Bilbo. "There is a mark. I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company: Thorin Oakenshield." Thorin turned fully and put his hands behind his back. "So...this is the hobbit. Tell me Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin was circling Bilbo like a wolf stalking a sheep. Bilbo hd confused expression to Thorin's question. "Pardon me?" He asked. "Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Thorin continued with his questioning while walking around Bilbo before stopping in front of him once more.

"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know. But I fail to see why that's relevant." Bilbo answered snarkily. Thorin only smiles mockingly at his comment. "Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thori comments turning his head slightly to the rest of the dwarves. They all laugh loudly while I just cross my arms using my right to elbow Kili. He looks at me in annoyance, but drops it when I give him a slight warning glare. Thorin follows the other doors into the dining room. Kili gesture for me to follow and as I past Bilbo I give a small smile of reassurance. All the dwarves sat down at the table taking out their pipes and refilling their drinks while Bilbo made up some stew for Thorin. There was no more room at the table so I just stood in the doorway next to Bofur. There was an amiable silence as Thorin began eating his supper, but now it was time to talk.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked Thorin paused in his eating now addressing everyone. "Aye, envoys from all seven kingdoms." The company cheered happily to his news, but were silenced by Dwalin's question. "And what did the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" "They will not come. They this quest is ours and ours alone." was Thorin's solemn answer that was followed by groans from the company. I tilted my head at that. My father had spoken of Lord Dain only a few times and he didn't really knew much about him, but from what little he did know he said that Dain seemed to be an honorable dwarf. If that were the case why leave his kin high and dry like this? Thorin was taking a sip from his tankard when Bilbo walked into the room. "You're going on a quest." Everyone and myself looked toward the hobbit which seemed to make him blush slightly in embarrassment.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Bilbo hummed at Gandalf statement, but left the room to light a candle while Gandalf drew out a map from his cloak. Dwalin moved his plate to allow Gandalf room to show the map, which just so happened to be the Map of Erebor. "Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak." The map had a design of erebor with runes on each side and a red dragon flying above. Bilbo returns with a lit candle and leans over to read the map. "The Lonely Mountain." I look up from the map to look at Gloin as he gathers everyone's attention. "Aye, Oin has read the portents, and the portents say: it is time." Gloin announces emphatically. Gandalf lights his finger, burt almost sets his beard on fire when he forgets to blow it out. I smile at his antics before turning my attention to Oin on fire to light his pipe."Ravens have been seen flying back to the Mountain, as it was foretold. When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

"Um… what beast?" I hear Bilbo question nervously behind me. We all turn towards the hobbit at his question. "Well that would reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airbourne firebreather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals." I'm sure Bofur would have gone on but Bilbo stopped him from elaborating. "Yes, I know what a dragon is." I then hear the sound of a chair being pushed back. I look to see one of the younger dwarves, Nori? No. Ori! I see Ori stand up swiftly. "I'm not afraid, I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of dwarvish iron right up his jacksey!" He exclaimed. Nori pats him and looks at him with pride while his other brother, Dori I believe, yanks him back down to his seat. "Sit down!" He says warningly.

The company is beginning to stir anxiously once more, but Balin silences them. "The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, and we number just fourteen, and not fourteen of the best, nor brightest. The dwarves begin arguing once more. I look over them all, but my eyes linger on Kili. There was something different about him. His eyes didn't look like the dark brown he had before, but was now a honey brown almost golden. However, within a blink they were back to normal. I shake my head slightly. Apparently I consumed more ale than I thought, if I was having hallucinations. "Hey who are you calling dim?!" I hear Nori's shout, which brings me back to the situation at hand. Fili slams his hand on the table to get everyone's attention. "We may be few in number, but we're fighters. All of us. To the last dwarf!" Fili finishes slamming his hand again for emphasis. "And you forget we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Kili inputs excitedly.

I turned to Gandalf with a slight smirk. If that were the case he would have already done it by now. Gandalf just stutters which was obviously not the answer the dwarves wanted so they began to argue for the umpteenth time tonight. I roll my eyes at this, and they wonder why Balin calls them dim. Bilbo tries in vain to stop the argument from escalating further, but it was Thorin he got them to quiet down. "Enough!" They all sit down once more attention now on their king. "If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look East to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others try to reclaim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor!" The others rise up cheering at his uplifting speech. I smile softly at him. Perhaps he wouldn't so bad as a king. "Du Bekar! Du Bekar!" Thorin shakes his fist slightly in encouragement.

Balin once more brings everyone back down to reality. "You forget the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." "That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Gandalf says as he procures a large, ancient key from his robes. I narrow my eyes at the key. My father never mentioned anything about a key, but apparently it was the only thing that would allow us entry into the mountain. "How came you by this?" Thorin asked in awe. "It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, it is yours now." Gandalf then hands Thorin the key. "If there is a key, there must be a door!" Fili states the obvious. I roll my eyes once more. 'Men.' He seemed a bit slow on the up keep. Gandalf points to the map once more. "These runes speak of a hidden passage in the lower halls." "There's another way in!" Kili exclaims the obvious. I snort this time. Seemed the brains ran in the family.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle Earth who can." I lean off the wall at his statement. That wizard was up to something, but I have time to think more on it as he continued. "The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage." Gandalf looked to Bilbo with a knowing look before turning back towards the company. "But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori pointed out. Bilbo hums in agreement as he studies the map. "A good one too. An expert I'd imagine." I look at Bilbo and can't help the smile that spreads across my face due to his innocence. "And are you?" Glion asks mockingly as he leans in slightly. Bilbo looks behind thinking that he was talking to someone else before looking back at Gloin in confusion. "Am I what?"

"He says he's an expert. Hey!" Oin says and the others join him in his celebration. Whether or not he actually didn't hear what Bilbo said or if he just wanted to tease him, is something I will never know, but I suppose it doesn't really matter at his point. Bilbo didn't really seem like the adventuring type, but who was I to judge. "-I'm not a burlar I've never stolen a thing in my life!" Bilbo's exclamation brought me back to the current conversation. "I'm afraid I'd have to agree with Mister Baggins. He's not exactly burglar material." Balin says in his wise voice. Bilbo nodded and hummed his agreement at Balin's statement. "Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin states as he looks at Bilbo, but then his gaze switches to me. I narrow my eyes with a glare and decide to flip him off like the lady I am. This both shocks and angers him, but he finally removes his gaze from me. 'Not fend for myself, indeed.'

The dwarves are arguing once again. I lean back against the wall with my arms crossed over my chest and just rolled my eyes for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. "Enough if I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is!" Gandalf stands and as he speaks the room dims and his voice echoes throughout the house. As he takes in a small breathe the room is filled with warm light once more and Gandalf's once imposing and intimidating manner melts back to his normal kind hearted self. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet! In fact, they can go unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of a hobbit is all but unknown to him which gives us a distinct advantage." Gandalf wasn't wrong about that. If what he says is true, and I doubt it would be otherwise, then Bilbo could be the factor we've been needing to complete this seemingly impossible quest. " you asked me to find the fourteenth member and I have chosen Mister Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this." Gandalf sits back down scanning the room making his opinion known on his standing with Bilbo's capability as a burglar.

Thorin sighs and nods in acceptance. "Very well. We will do it your way." Bilbo frantically tries change his mind, but is only ignored by the dwarf prince. "Give him the contract." Thorin looks at Balin as he says this while also holding up one hand to silence any protests from the other dwarves. Balin stands up pulling out a contract and handing out to Bilbo who refuses to take it. "It's just the usual summary of out of pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Thorin takes the contract and shoves it to Bilbo making him take it. "Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo asks. He steps away into the hall groaning at the lengthy contract.

I see Thorin lean towards Gandalf and catch their short conversation. "I cannot guarantee his safety." Thorin states and Gandalf nods. "Understood." He states confidently. "Nor will I be responsible for his fate." Gandalf looks at THorin and for the first time actually seems scared. "Agreed." He says reluctantly.

"Terms: cash on delivery, up to, but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair." Gandalf smiles at his comment. " Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof, including, but not limited to - lacerations? Evisceration? Incineration?" Bilbo looks up at the company with a disbelieving look. "Oh aye. He'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur oh so helpfully points out. I step out of the corner and closer to Bilbo who was looking a little pale.

I hear Balin lean over to look at Bilbo. "You alright laddie?" Bilbo leans forward then straightens again taking in deep breaths. "Yeah, just feel a bit faint." Bofur stands up and is beside me addressing Bilbo once more. "Think furnace with wings." I glare at him in warning, but that doesn't deter him from continuing. "Flash of light, searing pain, then - POOF! You're nothing more than a pile of ash!" I hit him in the chest slightly which finally shuts him up and then turn my attention back to Bilbo. "Bilbo are you alright, you're a bit pale." I ask in concern for the poor hobbit. Bilbo seems to regain his composure. "Nope." But then he promptly faints. I quickly run to him making sure he was alright before giving Bofur a glare once more. "That was very helpful Bofur." I state sarcastically. Gandalf stands up and walks to me and BIlbo picking him up with little help."Thank you my dear. I'll take it from here." He smiles and then heads into the parlour. And who might you be?" I hear the gruff voice of Thorin from behind me. I sigh dreading this conversation, but turn around to look him in the eye.

"I am Inari Daughter of Anita and from the Forodwaith. I have come to join your company in this quest." I state never stuttering. He may be intimidating, but I was not afraid of him. I guess that was the dwarf in me showing. Thorin looks down at me with a scowl, but nods none the less. "From Forodwaith you say? That is no short journey." He states wanting me to give him for information. He very obviously didn't trust me. "Indeed, I have been travelling for the past two years upon my majority day. I have been trained in combat to hold my own and I can hunt as well as track." Thorin narrows his eyes his mistrust becoming more prevalent. "Why should I allow you along. You are a woman and out of duty my men would protect if you were endangered which could get them injured or killed. That is not a risk I'm willing to make." He turns away in dismissal believing that this conversation was over.

I step up next to him using my height to my advantage, but he still is far more threatening. "My father was once a dwarf of Erebor. He has dreamed of returning to the mountain, but he is not as young or as strong as he used to be and he has already fought in your name. He shouldn't have to face these horrors once more. I am a woman, but I am young and strong and have held my own on the road for the past two years. I can do this and I don't need you or any man in this company to fight my battles for me."

The dwarves who were murmuring before have now gone completely silent. Thorin was assessing me with his blue eyed gaze. I could read his emotions from his face but I could tell that he was at the very least considering my words. Finally he looks up at me once again. "You say your father was dwarf, yet you have no beard and are most likely the tallest dwarf I have ever encountered. Explain that." I sigh knowing that what I say next could very well knock out any chances I have in joining this quest. "

My father is a dwarf, but my mother was a daughter of man." The dwarves gasp and murmur once more, shocked at my revelation. Thorin looks like he is about to deny me, but I interrupt him before he gets the chance. "I know that think I can be trusted, but please I ask you to not deny me this just because of my heritage. You can not blame me for what I am and I want to help. My father has told me stories my whole life about Erebor, I have always dreamed of seeing it for myself and I want my father to live there once. Please allow me this. I'm not asking to be rewarded I just want to give back our home to those who deserve it." I finish my speech, hoping it will convince him to let me come.

The dwarves silently await Thorin's verdict. He glares at me for what feels like hours before finally sighing. "Very well. You may come, but there are conditions." I nodded an couldn't seem to contain my excited smile. "You will pull your own weight that includes, watches, hunting, so forth. You will not be a burden in any way and you will not distract any of my men. If you violate any of these even once you will leave immediately. Am I clear?" He asks with a growl. I glare back but nod an affirmative. He looks back and nods at Balin before leaving the dining room.

Balin approaches me and hands over a contract with a smile. I skim it before signing my name in curvy writing. Balin takes my contract and stuffs it back into his coat and then smiles at me. "Welcome to the company, Lady Inari."

A/N

Wow that took me a few days to write. Sorry that this is a little late. It was Homecoming week and I was just busy all week but now it should be back to normal. Please leave a comment and review. Until next time, bye.


	5. Misty Mountains Cold

I was walking towards the living room when I passed Bilbo. He gave me an apologetic look before continuing on and disappearing down the hallway. Perhaps it was for the best he stay behind. This journey was sure to be long and full of danger, a hobbit would definitely be out of place. Though, I had to admit I was hoping Bilbo would join us. My attention then turned towards Thorin and Balin's conversation. "It appears we lost our burglar. Probably for the best. After all what are we, miners, merchants, tinkers, toymakers, hardly the stuff of legend." Balin's statement did ring with truth, however you don't have to be a warrior to be brave at least in my opinion.

"There are a few warriors amongst us." Thorin replied with a smirk. Wow who knew he actually had a sense of humor. I didn't think he had it in him. Balin sighed and gave the dwarf an exasperated look. "Old warriors." He pointed out. Thorin stood up from his leaning position and gained a determined look in his eyes. "I would take each and everyone of these dwarves over an army, for when I called they answered. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask for no more." Thorin's voice was sincere and confidant as he said this. It amazed me how many surprises this dwarf had. I saw Balin lean in a bit more and speaking in a quieter tone that could just barely hear them.

Balin stood up giving thorin a sincere look. "You don't have to do have a choice." Thorin leaned his head down as Balin continued. "You have done honorably by our people. You have belt a new life for us in the Blue Mountains. A life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth all the gold in Erebor." THorin once again straightened as he held out the key. "From my grandfather to my father, this has come to dreamt of the day when the Dwarves of Erebor would reclaim our homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me."

"What about the lass? Are you really going to let her come on this journey? It is not our way Thorin. We are supposed to protect our women not let them venture on deadly journey across Middle Earth." Balin said with a chastising tone. I wrinkled my nose at that and glared at him even though he couldn't see me. Thorin made a noise between a sigh and groan at his friend's statement. "I know Balin. However, she has reached her majority and has chosen this herself. Not to mention she is only half dwarf, so _she_ doesn't apply to our customs. She will come, but I want everyone to treat her no differently than they would child of man. I don't want any of the company to become distracted." Balin only sighed and nodded. "Very well laddy. We will see it done." Balin patted his shoulder then they both disappeared down the hall.

I moved away from the doorway with a slight scowl on my face. Thorin reminded me of everyone else in middle earth. All they saw was halfbreed who didn't belong. I shook my head to clear it of the heavy thoughts. I saw Fili and Kili heading my way with mugs filled. "Are you going to join us." Fili said with a slight smirk. "What for? What are we doing?" I said with slight suspension. From what I could tell the two brothers were harmless, but they definitely had a mischievous air about them, so I wasn't taking any chances. Kili laughed at my response. "Smart this one, but don't worry the company is just gathering in the parlour for a song." He said with a kind smile, though his eyes still had a mischievous glint.

I smiled back and let the two lead me to the rest of the company. As we walked in i could hear all of them humming a familiar tune. And to my total surprise, Thorin started singing the song in his deep baritone voice.

" _Far over the Misty Mountains cold,_

 _To dungeons deep and caverns old._

 _We must await ere break of day_

 _To find our long-forgotten gold."_

The others then joined in as I listened silently to the sombre song.

" _The pines were roaring,_

 _On the height._

 _The wind was moaning in the night._

 _The fire was red,_

 _It flaming spread._

 _The trees like torches,_

 _Blazed with light."_

The company finished the song together as one. My father used to sing this song to me every night. He promised that we would one day Erebor as he remembers it. A glorious stronghold and kingdom. Usually I'm not one for sentimentality, but this was personal and hit me in a very tender place, which lead me to continue the song.

" _The wind was on the withered heath_

 _But in the forest stirred no leaf:_

 _Their shadows lay be night or day_

 _And dark things silent crept beneath."_

I saw all the dwarves looking at me, but the only one who met my eyes was Kili. Once again his eyes were a glowing yellow. I almost stopped singing, but I continued when he dropped his gave a second later.

" _The wind went from West to East;_

 _All movement in the forest ceased_

 _But shrill and harsh across the marsh_

 _Its whistling voices were released._

 _Farewell we call to hearth and hall!_

 _Though wind may blow and rain may fall_

 _We must away ere break of day_

 _Far o'er the wood and mountain tall."_

I stood up and started walking out of the room when I was stopped by Bofur. "Where did you learn to sing like that lass?" He asked in all the others also eager for an answer. I turned half way looking all of them in the eye. "From my mother. At least that's what my father tells me." I then turned back around and walked completely out of the room. It didn't take long for me to find a guest room. I layed down and within minutes I was asleep.

A/N

Hey guys I know This was a bit short and it's been a few weeks since the last chapter, but I wanted to go head and post this chapter. Just wanted to let you guys know that my updates are going to be sporadic since it is my senior year and I have a lot of things to do and decisions to make. So please be patient with me.

By the way, I wanted to ask if i should change the perspective, like maybe have some chapters where we see everything from one of the dwarves' perspective or maybe Bilbo's. Let me know what you think.

Don't forget to leave a review it brings me inspiration! This is ArcherWriter signing off.


	6. The Journey Begins

I woke up at the crack of dawn the next morning. Within five minutes I had bathed and dressed wanting to get some breakfast before the others ate it all. Grabbing my bag, I walk out of my room and down the hall of the now silent hobbit hole.

SSSSnheewww.

Ok not silent after all. I looked into the sitting room and saw most of the dwarves sound asleep on either a chair or on the floor, snoring loudly. The only one absent was Thorin which didn't really surprise me. I looked out the front window in the entryway and saw him smoking his pipe. I decide to not bother him and continue on my original mission. Bilbo's kitchen was a bit on the small size, but that might be because the ceilings are slightly lower to where I have to hunch over a bit to avoid hitting my head.

I look around in his cabinets but only find glass crockery and eating utensils. I walk down the hall and find his large pantry. There wasn't much left, but i would make do. I grab some rolls along with some vegetables and some sausage that was surprisingly left. I find a smaller pantry that is also mostly empty, but do find some eggs. Heading to the kitchen with the food, I light a fire under the stove and grab a pan. The next fifteen minutes is spent of me cooking some egg mixed with vegetables. When the eggs are done I start cooking the sausage then put everything on my plate. There was the sound of the kettle coming from the other side of the kitchen after setting my plate down. I take it off the hot platter and pour some tea that I decided to make before I started cooking.

I take the tea to the table and start eating. Within a few minutes i can hear some of the dwarves stirring from sleep. It isn't long before I see Bombur, Gloin, Oin, Bifur, Balin, and Dori coming into the kitchen. "I made some sausage and eggs they're on the counter if you want some and there's some tea in the kettle." I say to them and get some grunts in reply and a 'Thank you' from Balin, making me smile slightly. It doesn't take long for the rest of the company to awaken and eat breakfast. At some point Thorin came back inside and had some breakfast with us, though he only talked to Balin and Dwalin and every now and then he would scold one of his nephews for their… less than explinary table manners.

"Finish up, Dwalin and I are going to purchase some ponies me us at the Green Dragon in half an hour." Thorin says as he and Dwalin stand from the table about to leave. I clear my throat awkwardly to get his attention. He stops and turns his attention towards me with an annoyed scowl promantly on his face. "I already have a pony." I state. He nods his head and continues out the door Dwalin following behind him.

Fili and Kili came up from behind me, Fili wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "I didn't know you could cook Lady Inari you didn't seem the housewife type." He said with a smirk. I returned it with a sickly sweet grin, while Kili just chuckled beside me. I then took Fili's hand and twisted it around then pulling him down to the ground to where he landed on his back. Then I laid my foot on his stomach effectively trapping him. It was deadly silent, so I looked up, not loosening my grip, The whole company was staring at me with looks of shock and awe. I turned my gaze back on Fili, who was groaning in pain.

"Don't ever touch me like that again." I said in a slow and deadly low voice. "I'm not your mother or your lady love." He groaned once more. "Coulda fooled me." Was his smart ass response to which i twisted his wrist a little, not enough to break, but enough to be really painful. "Are we clear, _your majesty_." I said with slight sarcasm at the end. Fili nodded emphatically and I released him giving him one last glare as he stood up. I then looked back at the rest of the still silent company. "Anyone else." I stated with an eyebrow raised. This got the dwarves out of their stupor as they all looked away quietly muttering their objections. I nodded firmly at the response. "That's what I thought." I then went back to my room and finished packing my things.

I went back down the hall carrying my bag and picking up my weapons. I heard footsteps from behind me, I turned around swiftly holding my dagger up ready to strike, but stopped once I realized it was just Kili. He looked shocked as he held his hands up in surrender. "Woah, easy I'm not an orc as you can clearly see." he said with a smirk. "Hmm I wouldn't say that." I deadpanned. This only made Kili's smile wider and I couldn't help, but return it with one of my own. "I just wanted say that was amazing what you did. Fili could use that a bit more, you know to keep his ego in check. Unlike me I'm very modest." He said with a prideful smile. "Yes I can see that. Don't mention it. Just wanted to lay down the rules and make sure that consequences were clear. Though, I'll admit that I may have been a bit harsh. How's his wrist?" I asked in slight concern. He just shrugged dismissively.

"Oh he'll be fine and he won't hold it against you. If anything, I think he's impressed and maybe a bit embarrassed." he chuckled and I joined him. We turned when Balin entered the entryway. "Lad, Lass. I think it's about time we go. Thorin isn't known for his patience and he won't be happy if he has to wait." We both nodded and headed out the door the rest of the company following. I looked back at the hobbit hole with sadness. I had hoped that Bilbo would come along, but I suppose the Wild is too dangerous, especially for someone with no training. Still I had grown quite fond of the little hobbit in the few hours I'd known him. I turned back to the road and walked alongside the company as we travelled to meet Thorin at the local inn.

We all gathered at the stable where Thorin was waiting with sixteen ponies in tow. I walked into the stable and asked the stable boy to bring my horse. Timber seemed happy to see me though it was only one night. I scratched his head, his favorite spot, and gave him an apple I had gotten from Bilbo's pantry. I figured he wouldn't mind seeing as he had almost nothing left and would need to restock anyway. "I see you've been treated well. I'm afraid it will be awhile before you get that kind of treatment again, my friend." I whispered to him, his ears twitching at the sound of my voice. He only nickered in had a light dun coat and a dark black and white mane that was in a mohawk type style with the forelock remaining long. His legs were dark but got lighter further up. All in all he was a very exotic horse compared to the other ponies to which he was about a hand taller. However, his breed was common in Forodwaith.

I tacked him up and attached the remaining supplies onto the saddle. "We're heading out now we need to cover as much ground asz we can before sunset." I heard Thorin say from the front and within minutes we were on our ponies and heading out of Hobbiton.

We were on the edge of the Shire within a few hours of leaving. I overhear a few of the dwarves scoffing and complaining about Bilbo, but only snipits, such as "Waste of time…: from Dwalin and "... use a hobbit?" from Dori. It was then that we all heard a voice from behind making all of us look back.

"Wait! Wait!" Bilbo shouts as he catches up with us running with the contract flying in his hand behind him. We watch as he goes to Balin and hands him the contract. "I signed it." Balin inspects the contract with the pocket glass before looking back to Bilbo. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." Balin then gives him a friendly wink while the others including myself cheer. All except Thorin who looks unimpressed. "Give him a pony."

The others start moving again while Bilbo tries to convince everyone that he would need a pony. "No, no, no, no, that-that won't be necessary, thank you, but I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I-I-I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once-WAGH!" I turn at the sound of Bilbo's yell to see Fili and Kili holding him by his arms before dumping him on a little brown pony. Kili catches me looking and gives me a mischievous wink. I roll my eyes and turning my head towards the front once more, but I can't help the small smile on my lips.

Bilbo is riding beside a few minutes later and oh my does he look uncomfortable. He looked absolutely ridiculous. "Bilbo just relax. Myrtle is a very gentle pony and all you need to do is tell her what to do and trust her." I say with smile. He looks at me then lets out a breath which seems to relax him slightly as his body becomes less tense. "Thank you, Miss Inari," He says as e gives me a smile. I smile back, "No problem and please none of that Miss and Lady. It's just Inari." "Oh, all right, Inari." I smile again and then look forward once more. That is when we both notice money bags flying around the company. "Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." Oin shouts. Nori grudgingly through a small bag of money to Oin who cheered gleefully along with the some of the others.

Bilbo glanced at me with a confused look on his face. "What's that about." I had opened my mouth to answer when Gandalf rode up beside us and answered for me. "Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't." Bilbo grunted at his answer before glanceing up at Gandalf and then myself. "And what did you two think?" I gave him a sly smile while Gandalf just hummed making Biblo frown. Then two bags of coins were thrown at us from a grumbling Gloin and Dwalin. "I betted that you would catch up before we entered Bree." I said with a smile making Bilbo chuckle. "My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second."

"Pleasure doing business with you Gloin." I shouted gloatingly. Gloin only grumbled louder in response. At the sound of Bilbo sneezing, I turn to look in slight concern. 'I hope he isn't getting sick. He's not used to being in the wilderness.' "Ohh. All this horse hair, I'm having a reaction." He begins searching for something to clean his nose but can't seem to find anything which causes him to start panicking. "No, no, wait, wait, stop! Stop! We have to turn around." We all stop abruptly at his shout and look to see what is wrong many making complaints and objections.

"What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asks in an exasperated tone. "I forgot my handkerchief." I groan at this as well as most of the company. Bofur then tears off a piece of his sleeve before tossing it to Bilbo. "Here! Use this." Bilbo catches it with look of disgust on his face. The dwarves laugh before moving once again. "Move on." Thorin shouts from the front,

"You'll have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you; the world is ahead." Gandalf says in his usual wisen voice. I look a head once more as I ponder on his words. My thoughts took me back to Forodwaith and my father and siblings. I had not seen them in years though I had tried to keep in touch through letters. I knew my father would be furious if he knew I was on this journey, but I also knew that I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to me and he would have no idea thinking that I would come home eventually. Resolved, I take out my leather bound journal and begin writing him a letter.

 _Dear a_ _dâd,_

 _Tha aglâmetk-mênu ana aglâb-mênu nala nalim ana Erebor. Al asa a namil fuvuz aglâb-mênu a askad guhnâl ni al abad. Tha nala ulro al gabil Barel eron Thorin Oakenshield ana al Lonely Mountain. Smaug var mer mabazgûn._

 _Please do not try to stop me, this is something I must do for all of us. I will write to you as soon as I can. Until then, Tha nogazen mênu. Tha var ival mênu gavin nerak._

 _Nogazen,_

 _Inari_

 **A/N**

 _ **Translations:**_

 _Dear adâd,_

 _Tha aglâmetk-mênu ana aglâb-mênu nala nalim ana Erebor. Al asa a namil fuvuz aglâb-mênu a askad guhnâl ni al abad. Tha nala ulro al gabil Barel eron Thorin Oakenshield ana al Lonely Mountain. Smaug var mer mabazgûn._

Dear father,

I write to you to tell you I am traveling to Erebor. There is an old map that speaks of shadowed (hidden) door. I travel with the great Company of Thorin Oakenshield to the Lonely Mountain. Smaug will be slain.

 _2._ _Tha nogazen mênu. Tha var ival mênu gavin nerak._

 _Nogazen,_

 _Inari_

I love you. I will see you again soon.

Love,

Inari

 **Wow this took forever! I'm sorry this took so long. The past month has been crazy. I did get to see Ed Sheeran in concert and he sang "I See Fire" with clips from The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug playing on the jumbo tron. It was so nostalgic. Took a standerdized test and did terribly. I also celebrated my birthday and then went Black Friday shopping. Got so many good deals and able to get most of my Christmas shopping done. I hope everyone had an amazing Halloween and Thanksgiving!**

 **I have a question for everyone. Do you think I should write a Christmas special for this story kind of a oneshot but with the same characters. I might do it anyway cause for some reason I'm really in the Christmas spirit this year. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Next chapter will be a filler mainly so I'll try to get that up soon.**

 **Translations were from The Dwarven language and Scribd Khuzdul Dictionary.**

 **Thank you so much for reading and hope you enjoyed this chapter. This is ArcherWriter signing off.**


	7. Fireside Revelations

_Italics-Thoughts_

Inari's POV

It has been two weeks since we set off from the Shire. In that time I've gotten to know most of the company. Oin is the healer, he is also deaf so I haven't really talked to him much. The only conversation I did have with him was mainly me shouting everything. Gloin is his brother and is one of the dwarves that have been less than welcoming along with Dori, Dwalin and Thorin. Balin is the oldest dwarf and is most definitely the wisest. He is also Thorin's closest advisor. Nori is Dori's and Ori's brother. Turns out he's a thief. I found that out when I caught him trying to steal my bag of coins.

Bombur is a rotund dwarf who is the main cook for the company. He's pretty quiet for the most part, but the times he has talked he spoke of his wife and children. Bifur is also not much for talking instead he speaks in Khuzdul.

Luckily I'm fluent. He's a toy maker and truly is very kind hearted once you get to know him. Bofur, unlike his kin, is a major chatterbox. He has a naturally cheerful disposition and is one of the most accepting of the company.

Bilbo and I have become quite close. He loves food and gardening over all else and valued people over material things. After living in the wild for so long and meeting greedy Men and dwarves, Bilbo is a breath of fresh air. He often shows his care and appreciation in his own fussy way, and I can't help but become fond of him.

Fili and Kili, I found out, are actually Thorin's nephews. I was shocked when I found out this fact. I would have never guessed that Fili and Kili of all people were royalty.

They are both reckless and mischievous, though Fili is more serious and responsible. He is also the oldest making him Thorin's heir.

Out of the whole company, Kili is the easiest to talk to. He can be arrogant and stubborn though that seems to run in the family. However, he is also caring and determined, something I can't help but admire. We became fast friends and for some reason, I feel as if I've known him my whole life.

But there is something about him that seems...different. It wasn't just him though, it was Fili and Thorin as well. There is just something about the Durins that gives me goosebumps up my spine. Something predatory.

3rd PoV

The company continued until dusk where they decided to make camp on a cliff face. Supper was a quiet affair and once finished everyone bedded down for the night. Most of the company was asleep except for Gandalf, who was smoking, Bilbo, who was trying to find a comfortable position, Fili and Kili, who were on watch, and Inari, who was sharpening her arrowheads.

Bilbo gave up on sleep and stood up. He walked over to Myrtle his pony and gave her an apple. A loud screech broke the calm silence causing Thorin to startled awake and three young dwarves to become alert. Bilbo ran back towards the relative safety of the camp while looking around trying to find the source of the noise.

"What was that?!" He asked frantically. Kili looked around with a cautious look before answering. "Orcs." He said simply.

Bilbo's eyes widen. "Orcs?" He asked his voice full of fear. Inari looked up from her arrows and watched cautiously as the conversation continued. "Throat-cutters. They'll be dozens of them out there." Fili continued, his voice nonchalant. "The lowlands are crawling with them. They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood." Kili said horror with underlying humor laced in his voice.

Inari glared at them when they started laughing at Bilbo's expense. She elbows Kili in the ribs harshly. Orcs were not something to joke about. Kili turned towards her giving her a confused stare as she gave him a reprimanding look. Thorin then stood up, his eyes full of fury.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?" He said sternly. Inari looked up at Thorin's loud voice. She narrowed her eyes when she noticed his eyes. They were glowing gold. She only saw it for a moment when his eyes went back to their normal striking blue.

The two brothers lowered the heads in shame. "We didn't mean anything by it." Kili defended weakly. "No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin then stalked away towards the edge of the cliff deeming the discussion over.

Balin stepped up next to us with a soft look in his eyes. "Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." The two both turned the heads toward Thorin giving him confused looks. Inari listened silently as Balin told his story. The more she heard the more she respected Thorin. When Balin finished and everyone began to settle down once more she turned to look at the two brothers.

It took everything in her power to keep herself from gasping. When she looked at the two brothers she saw that both of their eyes had become a glowing gold. Just like Thorin! She thought.

There was definitely something going on and it seemed to involve the Sons of Durin. Either way, she decided to dismiss these odd signs and laid down for the night. What are you three hiding? Was her last thought before she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	8. From Babbling Brooks to Raging Rivers

**Chapter 7**

 _From Babbling Brooks to Raging Rivers_

Third PoV

A few days had passed since the Company's stop at the cliff and the weather had turned sour. It was now raining hard and had soaked all the dwarves and their ponies. Inari was riding by Bofur as he tried to light his pipe, but it was too wet to stay lit. He just shrugged and put it in his mouth anyway making her laugh at his antics. He just winked in return.

"Here Mr. Gandalf. Can't you do something about this deluge?" Dori asked in annoyance. Gandalf turned slightly towards him with an amused look on his face. "It is raining, master dwarf. And it will continue to rain until the rain is done." He said in a tone as if he was speaking to a petulant child. "If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourselves another wizard." 

Bilbo rode up closer with a slight smile on his face. "Are there any?" "What?" He asked. "Other wizards." Gandalf paused for a moment before answering. "There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman the White. Then there are the two blue wizards." He paused again, trying to recall their names. "I've quite forgotten their names." He answered at last. Bilbo nodded seeming unsurprised. "And who is the fifth?"

Gandalf's eyes lit up as he fondly thought of the odd wizard. "That would be Radagast the Brown." Bilbo narrowed his eyes in thought. "Is he a great wizard or is he more like you?" Inari, Fili, and Kili all snorted at Bilbo's unintentional insult. The hobbit blushed but kept his attention on Gandalf. The wizard turns back a bit miffed but answers. "I think he is a very great wizard, in his own way." He turns forward as he continues. "He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals over others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the east. And a good thing too, as evil always looks to find a foot hole in this world." The Company goes quiet and continue their journey through the rain. 

*Space*

Inari's PoV

After a week of storms, the rain had finally stopped. I had taken off my rain cloak and was letting my still damp clothes dry. We had set out early today before the sun was even up. We had to stop once we came upon an overflowing river. It probably wouldn't have been a problem before the rains, but now it was a deadly raging river. Thorin and Gandalf were trying to figure out how to cross it right now so we were allowed a small rest. I was sitting next to Fili and Kili. Kili and I had become great friends in the past month. It was weird to have a friend as I had never been close enough to anyone to call them such. 

Before I could continue my train of thought, Thorin and Gandalf had figured out a way to cross the river. "All of you make sure everything is on the ponies. We're going to walk through the river leading the ponies." Thorin then turned to Kili. "Kili I need you to shoot us a rope across. We're going to need something to hold on to." Kili nodded before reaching back for his bow and notching an arrow with some rope attached to the fletching. The arrow sunk deep into a tree and was given a strong tug to make sure it was stable. Thorin nodded and then lead his pony into the river keeping a strong grip on the rope.

Everyone then followed his lead, some have to calm their ponies while they walked across. I, Ori, and Bilbo were the last ones to cross. Myrtle and Timber weren't too much trouble walking across, however, Ori's poney, Lily, was extremely nervous under normal circumstances. She was one of the few ponies we had that would spook. A fact we would tease Ori about how a pony's behavior reflects their owner's. Now it was becoming a problem. She whinnying, scuffing and tossing her head. Ori was able to calm her enough to get her walking. However, as we reached the middle, one of Lily's hooves went into a small hole. She immediately reared up making some of the supplies fall off. Bilbo and I were able to stabilize ourselves on the rope, but Ori was not so lucky. He was trying to calm Lily down, but she was getting wilder and soon started to kick around. I quickly handed Timber's rains to Bilbo and trudged through the water to help Ori. 

I pulled him away from the thrashing pony before he was trampled. I pushed him closer towards the Company who were able to drag him out. I turned towards Lily and cautiously grabbed her reins. I tried speaking to her calmly, but nothing worked. As I tried to calm her, she reared up unexpectedly. I went to move out the way but lost my footing and my grip on the rope. 

No matter how hard I tried I couldn't keep my head above the water for long before I was dragged underneath where I was scraped by rocks and sticks. The current was pulling further and further away from the company, their shouts now barely audible. I was dragged under the surface once more. I kicked and pushed my arms. but the current was too strong. I eventually stopped fighting, now exhausted. My lungs were burning and I was becoming more light headed by the second. _Is this how I die? Am I truly never to see my father and siblings again?_ I couldn't help but think that I had let them down. _I'm so sorry adad. I just wasn't strong enough._ The edge of my vision was beginning to go dark and my lungs felt like they were about to burst.

I then heard something but hit the water. I tried to look but I was just too weak the last thing I saw was a big dark wolf swimming towards me. Then my world went black.

*Space*

I could myself coming back to consciousness slowly. First was my hearing. I could hear the sound of flowing water as well as the sounds of the nightlife waking up. The air was crisp but felt like ice against my damp clothes. I was finally able to open my eyes after a few minutes. I turned my head looking around at my surroundings. After a few minutes, I was able to sit up against a nearby tree. My head was throbbing and my whole body felt sore. "What happened?" I asked myself trying to remember, but my mind was still muddled. I then heard a sharp crack in front of me. I bolt up to my feet at the noise but immediately regretted it as my head sent a painful throb at the quick motion. I looked up and saw a large wolf standing in front of me. 

He was as big as a horse and had dark brown fur. His eyes were a bright gold that glowed in the evening dimness. At first, I felt threatened and grabbed a stick that was on the ground before getting in a defensive position. The wolf whimpered and laid on his belly. I tightened my hold on the stick at the animal's actions. After a few minutes of us staring, the wolf slowly rose up making me tense up once more. He slowly walked towards a bush his eyes never leaving mine. He then stuck his head into the bush. I thought about making a break for it, but before I could even turn around, the wolf's head came out from the bush with a rabbit in its mouth. 

He crawled slowly towards me all the while making himself look as non-threatening as possible. Once he was only a few feet away he stopped and dropped the rabbit. He then turned his head to look at me giving me an expectant look. At this point I had lowered the stick, the wolf didn't seem like he was going to attack, but I still kept my guard up. After a few minutes of staring the wolf barked impatiently and nudging the rabbit closer. I narrowed my eyes at this. "Is that for me?" _Can't believe I'm talking to the wolf._ The wolf nodded. Which was weird as it was such a human gesture.

"Oh, Thank you," I said slightly confused. There a lot of wolves in the north and I have had encountered them a couple of times and they never acted like this. Granted they were normal sized while has this one looks big enough to eat a horde of goblins. I put down the stick and cautiously picked up the rabbit. The wolf didn't move instead of opting to watch as I took its kill and began to skin it. By the time I had finished skinning it and made a fire it was completely dark. As I prepared my meal I made sure to keep an eye on the wolf. It was lying down about five feet away and had its golden eyed glaze following my every movement. It was a bit unsettling as it was such a human thing for an animal to do. 

As I waited for the rabbit to cook and turned to look at the wolf. He was still staring. "Has anyone ever told you it's rude to stare." I snipped completely unnerved by his staring. The wolf huffed giving me an unimpressed look. I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "What are you?" I couldn't help but ask. The wolf only lowered its head onto his paws. I sighed. This whole has just been a mess. I raked my hand through my hair making it messier than it already was. I scanned the clearing trying to take my mind off things when I spotted an unnatural looking lump behind the same bush the wolf hid the rabbit. I got up and walked towards it ignoring my sore muscles. 

The wolf raised his head at the motion. Once I was closer I was able to see that the lump was actually a pile of clothes. They were obviously a male's and once I picked up the shirt I could tell it belonged to dwarf by the size. My eye then caught something shiny beneath the clothes. I picked it up and studied the object. It was a dwarven hair clasp with the crest of Durin's Folk. _This is Kili's!_ I jumped up and looked around trying to find any other trace. I then looked at the wolf that was now standing looking anxious. Looking at him stirred up a barrage of memories. I remembered seeing a wolf swimming towards me before I blacked out. _The wolf saved me?_ I then remembered Kili and how his eyes turned to gold on many occasions. _The same gold as the wolf!_ I looked him in the eyes and could see him giving me a concerned look with his now familiar gold eyes.

I edged slowly towards him a look of disbelief and shock on my face. "Kili? Is that you?"

A/N

Well, there you have it folks we now know the Durin's mysterious secret. Next chapter you'll get a bit more background and history about everything. So what did ya'll think? Let me know your reaction to this chapter in the reviews. Thank you, everyone, for reading this story. 

This is ArcherWriter signing off.


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